The present invention relates to a method of preparing a granular flavor-fiber edible product. In a further aspect, the present invention relates to granular, substantially dry, free-flowing flavor-fiber edible products and food products containing the same. More particularly, the products produced in accordance with the present invention are ingredients for food items of a wide variety for the purpose of imparting flavor and also desirable aromas.
In recent years the importance of incorporating amounts of fiber in the diet has been emphasized by many authorities in the health field. Evidence related to the role of dietary factors in cancer and gastrointestinal diseases suggests that foods low or reduced in calories and fat and high in fiber are very desirable and should be made increasingly available by food manufacturers. At present, the average diet is relatively low in fiber. For example, the average American consumes 10 to 15 grams of fiber per day while the recommendation for fiber consumption is 35 to 40 grams per day. More than ten years ago, The National Academy of Sciences recommended that Americans should eat whole grain cereals, fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Other organizations such as The American Institute of Cancer Research, The American Cancer Society and The National Cancer Institute suggest that Americans should consume more high fiber foods and to increase their daily intake up to at least 25 to 35 grams of fiber every day. As a result of the publication of various research studies and reports, it is now common for fiber to be added to such products as breakfast cereals, cookies, canned beans, snack bars, crackers, breads and rolls, tofu desserts, snacks, frozen entrees, dry mix rice dishes, yogurt and bakery dry mixes.
The reasons for the importance of fiber in the daily diet lie in the structure and nature of fibrous materials. In plants, the fiber constitutes the material of the cell walls. Accordingly, in the plant, the cell wall performs a mechanical and structural role and provides the backbone for the plant. Normally, the human alimentary enzymes do not digest the fiber which constitutes the remnants of plant cells. The fiber is largely a nonstarch polysaccharide and lignin. Total dietary fiber is spoken of today as including the amount of lignin and polysaccharides that are not digested by gastrointestinal enzymes of the human digestive system. It is therefore believed that total dietary fiber is formed of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins, gums, lignin and mucilages. The carbohydrate that is most often found in nature is cellulose which is a polymer of glucose. The cell walls of virtually all plants found on land are formed of cellulose in their structural components. Cellulose occurring in nature is not soluble in water and is not digested in the human alimentary canal.
Another class of cellulose type materials are the hemicelluloses which are plant polysaccharides extractable by aqueous alkali. The hemicelluloses are polymers of pentose and hexose sugars and uronic acids. These materials create a system in which the cellulose fibers are found.
Another group of materials are the pectins which are a mixture of polysaccharides of galacturonic acid units with side chains containing arabinose, galactose, xylose and rhamnose. These materials are considered to be water soluble non structured polysaccharides. Gums and mucilages have no common structure but are polysaccharides containing several sugars with alternating monomer structures. Lignin is a further major component of plants and is formed of a polymer of aromatic plant alcohols. This woody substance gives plants their structure and support. As the lignin hardens it functions as a glue to hold the other plant cells in the wall together. This stiffening effect prevents biochemical degradation and physical destruction of the cells.
Thus the industry has been seeking ways to incorporate fiber into a variety of food products in order to increase the fiber content of the average American diet.
A report of the Surgeon General points out that frequent consumption of vegetables and fruits, particularly dark green and deep yellow vegetables and cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli may lower the risk for cancers in the luna and bladder as well as some cancers in the alimentary track, recognizing however that the specific components in these foods that may have the protective effects have not been established. As explained in the report, dietary patterns emphasizing foods high in complex carbohydrates and fiber are associated with lower risks of diverticulosis and some types of cancer. The association shown in epidemiologic and animal studies between diets high in complex carbohydrates and reduced risks for coronary heart disease and diabetics mellitus is, however, difficult to interpret. The fact that such diets tend also to be lower in energy and fats, especially saturated fat and cholesterol, clearly contributes to this difficulty. Despite the uncertainty of the fibers exact role in preventing disease, it is certainly apparent that everyone should increase their daily intake of complex carbohydrates and fiber. Thus since the mid 1980's there has been an enormous increase in the types and sources of fiber that have been introduced into the American diet. For example, oat fibers and oat bran and corn bran have been suggested for introduction into white breads, hot and cold cereals, muffins, soft pretzels and other baked products. Cereals, pizza and pasta have also had dietary fiber such as corn bran introduced as a part of their composition in an effort to produce higher fiber intake in such products. Snack foods and the like have also had their bran content increased by incorporating oat fiber and corn bran.
These new fiber added products are meeting success in the market place. Ready to eat cereals, low fat snack foods, and specialized bread and cake products have had an increase in their market share since the late 1980's. Thus there has been an increased level of consumer awareness in the importance of having fiber in the diet as a way to improve health not only to control weight. Fiber is an important part of diet food formulations because the food with the high fiber content functions in ways that takes advantage of the fiber's capacity to absorb several times its weight in water causing it to gain volume in the stomach and making the person undertaking the diet have a full satisfied feeling.
With the food manufacturing industry embarking on the preparation of all types of food products having a higher fiber content, attention has also been directed to the beverage and instant hot and cold drink market with the thought to provide improved and more flavorful products which also have a higher fiber content than do conventional beverages.
The present invention is directed to the fabrication of a granular flavor-fiber edible product which has a wide range of applicability in many different food products, especially in the beverage market to produce hot and cold drinks. Of particular interest is the application of the present invention to produce instant type beverage formulations.